Grand Lodge

Annual Communication

The Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick is held in the Blue Room of the Saint John Masonic Temple commencing on the Friday preceding the second Saturday in May each year.

History of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick

Historically, Freemasonry had its beginnings in New Brunswick in 1783, towards the end of the great migration of Loyalists from the conflict in the United States.

New Brunswick became a separate province in 1784, and in September of that year, Hiram Lodge in Parrtown (now Saint John, NB) received a dispensation as Lodge #17. St. George Lodge was established at Maugerville (pronounced "Major ville") in 1788, and New Brunswick Lodge in 1789. Over the next 37 years other lodges came into existence under the authority of the Provincial Grand Lodges of either Nova Scotia, England, Ireland or Scotland.

With the number of lodges in New Brunswick increasing, initial steps were taken in 1827 to form a Grand Lodge in this province. After 2 years of organizing, a Grand Master was actually elected. For some unknown reason the body failed to hold another meeting and the effort apparently died a natural death.

Nothing further occurred until 1855 when a Deputy Provincial Grand Lodge came into being. Four years later, this status was raised to Provincial Grand Lodge, and in 1865, to District Grand Lodge. Finally, on Oct 9-10, 1867, 19 lodges met and decided to declare their independence by uniting under their own governing body. After a long and somewhat tumultuous start, the present day Grand Lodge of New Brunswick had finally arrived.

Benjamin Lester Peters became the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Brunswick.

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